Compressor arrangement with reduced process gas consumption

Abstract

The invention relates to a compressor arrangement comprising a compressor ( 2 ) for compressing a process gas ( 13 ) from a suction region ( 21 ) towards a pressure region ( 22 ), a mechanical seal arrangement ( 3 ) for sealing against an atmosphere ( 6 ) on a shaft ( 5 ) of the compressor ( 2 ), wherein the mechanical seal arrangement comprises a mechanical seal ( 4 ) having a stationary slide ring ( 41 ) with a first sliding surface ( 41 a ) and a rotating slide ring ( 42 ) with a second sliding surface ( 42 a ), which define a sealing gap ( 42 a ) between the sliding surfaces ( 41 a, 42 a ), and a barrier fluid supply ( 7 ) with a barrier fluid line ( 70 ) which extends from the pressure region ( 22 ) of the compressor ( 2 ) to the mechanical seal ( 4 ) and through which process gas is branched off from the pressure region, the stationary slide ring ( 41 ) having a through opening ( 8 ), which extends from a rear side ( 41 b ) of the stationary slide ring ( 41 ) to an orifice at the first sliding surface ( 41 a ) of the stationary slide ring to supply process gas from the barrier fluid line ( 70 ) through the stationary slide ring ( 41 ) to the sealing gap ( 40 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A compressor arrangement comprising: a compressor for compressing a process gas from a suction region towards a pressure region, a mechanical seal arrangement for sealing against an atmosphere on a shaft of the compressor, said mechanical seal arrangement comprising a mechanical seal including a stationary slide ring with a first sliding surface and a rotating slide ring with a second sliding surface defining a sealing gap between the sliding surfaces, and a barrier fluid supply with barrier fluid line, which extends from the pressure region of the compressor to the mechanical seal and through which process gas is branched off from the pressure region as a barrier fluid, wherein the stationary slide ring has a through opening extending from a rear side of the stationary slide ring to an orifice at the first sliding surface of the stationary slide ring to supply process gas from the barrier fluid line through the stationary slide ring to the sealing gap; wherein the orifice of the through opening of the stationary slide ring partitions the sealing gap into a first sealing region radially outside the orifice of the through opening and a second sealing region radially inside the orifice of the through opening, at least one of the sealing regions being groove-free; and wherein the first sealing region, in the radial direction, is smaller than the second sealing region. 
     
     
       2. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the through opening at the first sliding surface opens radially outside an average diameter of the sealing gap. 
     
     
       3. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising a circumferential groove formed in the first sliding surface of the stationary slide ring. 
     
     
       4. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the through opening opens into the circumferential groove. 
     
     
       5. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of conveying grooves are formed in the second sliding surface of the rotating slide ring. 
     
     
       6. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 5 , wherein the conveying grooves are located radially inside the orifice of the through opening. 
     
     
       7. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein a quantity of process gas branched off from the compressor as a barrier fluid is in a range of 50 to 100 standard liters per minute. 
     
     
       8. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing gap is ≤10 μm when operating the mechanical seal. 
     
     
       9. The compressor arrangement according to  claim 1 , which does not comprise a labyrinth seal and which comprises the mechanical seal arrangement having exactly one mechanical seal as the single main seal.